Status of the United States Navy in 2005, Part 1

[dragoon500ly]

1 + 1 + 28 Virginia-class SSN: Displacement: 7,800 tons subm; Speed: 20kts surf/30+kts subm; Crew: 134; Armament: 1 Mk41 VLS with 12 Tomahawk missiles, 4 21in torpedo tubes.

SSN-774 Virginia. (Building) SSN-775 Texas [2005]; SSN-776 Hawaii [2006]; SSN-777 North Carolina [2007]; SSN-778 New Hampshire [2009]; SSN-779 New Mexico [1010]. SSN-780---SSN-903 Planned.

1 Converted Special Mission Seawolf-class SSN: Displacement: ???; Speed: 15kts surf./+35kts subm; Crew: 144; Troops: 50 SEALS; Armament: 8 26.5in torpedo tubes

The third Seawolf-class submarine was converted with an additional section to the hull to house additional bunking for up to 50 SEALs and their equipment. This vessel is also intended for deep-ocean search, research and recovery operations.

SSN-23 Jimmy Carter.

2 Seawolf-class SSN: Displacement: 7,640 tons surf./9,137 tons subm; Speed: 15kts surf/+35kts subm. Crew: 138; Armament: 8 26.5in torpedo tubes.

Designed as the world’s quietest submarine. While the maximum submerged speed is stated as 25 knots, the Seawolf was credited with a submerged speed of 37 knots. This class also has a maximum “acoustic speed” (the speed at which the submarine can transit while maintaining a sufficiently low noise to still employ passive sonar with a narrow-band capability---in excess of 20 knots (comparative Soviet speed is reported as 6-8 knots).

SSN-21 Seawolf; SSN-22 Connecticut.